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Synonyms

lit

1 American  
[lit] / lɪt /

verb

  1. a simple past tense and past participle of light.

adjective

  1. Slang. under the influence of liquor or narcotics; intoxicated (usually followed byup ).

  2. Slang. amazing; awesome; cool (used as a general term of approval).

    Today's rally was really lit!
lit 2 American  
[lit] / lɪt /

verb

  1. a simple past tense and past participle of light.

lit 3 American  
[lit] / lɪt /

noun

Informal.

  1. literature.

    a college course in English lit.
lit 4 American  
[lit] / lɪt /

noun

  1. litas.

lit. 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. liter; liters.

  2. literal.

  3. literally.

  4. literary.

  5. literature.

Lit. 6 American  

abbreviation

  1. (in Italy) lira; lire.

lit. 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. literal(ly)

  2. literary

  3. literature

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
lit 2 British  
/ lɪt /

verb

  1. a past tense and past participle of light 1

  2. an alternative past tense and past participle of light 2

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of lit1

First recorded in 1895–1900 in the sense “intoxicated”

Origin of lit3

First recorded in 1850–55; by shortening

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

From early morning until well after the gas lamps were lit, horse-drawn carriages filled with gentlemen and ladies lined the cobblestone street in front of Barnum’s Hotel.

From Literature

The 24-year-old has lit up the Women's Super League this season following her move from Manchester City to rivals Manchester United.

From BBC

Right after breakfast I called Rowdy and we lit out for the bottoms to look for the Lee family’s milk supplier.

From Literature

Smoke rose from chimneys, and windows were lit with candles.

From Literature

Ahead of the visit, the Knesset was lit in the colours of the Indian flag.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.